New Speakers Get a Break

Audiences are the best cheerleaders when they know you’re a new speaker.

Everyone who is a professional speaker faced their first audience with shallow breathing, shaky knees, and a mouth going as fast as a NASCAR vehicle in a race to the finish line. However, most found their first audience to be merciful, encouraging, and understanding.

Here are a few breaks that I’ve seen audiences give to new speakers.

Admiration: A break of understanding the strength of character and determination to stand up and speak up.

Most audience members are glad they’re not in front of everyone speaking. There is the unspoken “awe” when a new risk taker steps on stage to share their message before a room full of friends, acquaintances, and strangers.

Compassion: A break of strong supporting allies of encouragement.

Audiences listen more intently to new-be speakers, especially women. Like mothers, women’s hearts are ready to support the speaker as they would their own child. A few women in the room will follow through with sharing insightful tips for improvement. However, most spectators will show compassion with their smiles of acceptance.

Absolution: A break of pardonable indulgence comes with the learning curve.

Attendees usually are full of goodwill to all speakers, new and proven. New speakers will find friendly fondness as they speak from their heart the message they’re there to impart.

My learning curve was to master my hands. I have always used my hands when I talk. So when I began speaking; my hands were like uncontrolled children. They were distractions. With kindhearted audience members cheering me on and giving me meaningful tips on how to discipline my hand movements, I went from a shaky beginner to a confident messenger.

Therefore new speaker, stepping on stage to launch a speaking ministry is a gateway to great opportunities and services. Remember, as a speaker stepping up to the microphone, the audience is ready cheer you on to victory.

The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

Seasoned speakers what story do you have to share about your first audience?

New speakers, what break would you like to receive from your audiences?

Speak on!

Carolyn

photo by FreeDigitalPhotoes.net

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16 Comments

I would love more opportunities to speak. I haven’t published a book and this seems to be a key to getting booked to speak. I’d love to have more opportunities to share my story in hopes to encourage others.

You do have a story to write. Your website shows that.
Having a book or two is helpful in securing speaking engagements. However, there are other ways as well. A friend of mine sends out informational packets to churches and organizations about her speaking topics. Next, she is faithful in sending follow-up post cards to the churches. Her success proves that this method works.

On your website you mentioned you were planning to add a vision and mission statement. I have found the easiest guide to writing these statement can be found in THE PATH by Laurie Beth Jones.

How well I remember my first speaking “engagement.” After arguing with God for weeks, I finally submitted to sharing my testimony in a 10-minute devotion at our monthly women’s meeting. But God had other plans.

Four months later, I was standing before a retreat crowd of 70+ women, speaking for four hours on marriage and parenting. Not only were my knees knocking and voice quivering as I essentially read from my notes, but I began to cry and my nose began to drip from my face and drop to the floor. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

But the ladies of my church were an amazing audience. They encouraged me and loved me through the fear and emotional breakdown, and shared their own struggles with me during the breaks.

I spoke at that retreat under duress, only because I knew God told me to share my testimony. Speaking was to be a one-time event. But I came home from that weekend knowing what I was created for.

Thank you, Carolyn, for the beautiful reminder of those dear ladies and what they did for me!

I have my first honest-to-goodness speaking event, that’s not to just children, on August 18th. And it’s not a 10 minute quickie, it’s the children’s message and sermon. Thanks to CCC, I’m not as scared as I thought I would be.
Thank you for this additional encouragement Carolyn!

Oh gracious, Carolyn — my hands! It’s my biggest challenge, but I’ve learned to anchor them by my side. And I really do have to think “anchor.”

My best tip is to look for 3 “friendly faces” — one on the left, center and right. They help me feel relaxed because I feel like they’re cheering me on. And I look for them afterward and thank them for being so encouraging! Anytime I’M in the audience, I make it a point to be one of those friendly faces.

Finding friendly faces on each side of the room and in the center is a great point to share with new speakers. And your kindheartedness shows too by making it a point to track down the smiling faces to tell them “thank you.”

I want to add that it was a pleasure meeting you face to face at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference.

Carolyn, I helped guide a friend through a brief ipresentation for a movie based on her short story. The one thing I told her that she said helped the most was that the audience wants you to succeed, they are forgiving for this reason. I lived seeing you expand this here.

My first presentation was a home party sales program 32 years ago. I apologized several times during the 30 minute presentation. A former youth group leader held the party and told me afterward, “You did well, but you don’t need to apologize.” I never forgot her advice.

Carolyn, thank you for reminding me of my first retreat and the compassionate audience. The night before the retreat I wanted to run the other way and not speak at all. Those women prayed me through to victory in Jesus. Thanks to them, I still speak.